Soulmates
by MezzicStorm
Summary: The Sequel to Last Hope for Earth! Chapter 2 posted. Videl goes to see Goku to seek some answers. Meanwhile, an evil plot is put into motion. Rated R for adult scenes, language and violence
1. Default Chapter

**A/N: **The story starts three days after the final events of Last Hope for Earth.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Dragonball Z or the characters/intellectual properties contained in the manga or anime.  This story is not a challenge to the rightful holders of those properties.  This is a work of fan fiction.  The story and original characters are mine.

_"When two spirits touch and are found compatible they bond together in a way that almost defies meaning. It is how we saiyans find our mates."_

Vegeta explaining the Saiyan Bond to Videl in the Room of Spirit and Time

            _It had taken quite some time for his spirit to reform, but he was now whole again.  No prison could contain him for long.  But he had laid low, not wanting the attentions of the Celestial Bureaucracy breathing down his neck.  He didn't know how much time had passed, but he still remembered.  After reforming he traveled to a place that even the Celestial Bureaucracy did not know about.  But he knew; he created it eons ago.  The demi-plane was abstract concepts and emotions given form, but with a twist.  Long-dead memories, unfulfilled desires, and uncompleted tasks walked the ground like men, ready to do their master's bidding.  It was a simple task to hide the small realm from the prying eyes of the Celestial Bureaucracy since they trafficked in spirits and souls, not concepts given life of their own.  He placed the plane close to the mortal realm so he wouldn't have to expend his precious energy to see what was going on and attract unwanted attention.  It was a simple matter to look down and home in on whoever he wanted.  He paid particular interest to the battle that had just occurred there on the world called Earth.  He smiled, licking his sharp teeth in anticipation.  He watched the whole thing with glee, reveling in the chaos and destruction.  When the battle ended he saw an opportunity to seize upon.  He was still a spirit with all their limitations and liabilities.  He couldn't interact with the mortal realm.  He needed a suitable vessel to contain his spirit and power and the young man would serve nicely.  Once he destroyed the man's soul he would be easy to possess, and then the mortal realm would know the terror that the spirit realm knew and dreaded for so long!  _

_            Since his realm was populated by concepts he gathered forth several emotions of desire.  He added several memories of loss and one of a failed marriage.  He shaped the combined emotions into a vaguely humanoid form.  The process took almost no time at all.  Since the final form was just a combination of emotions it would have no difficulty entering the mortal realm due to the human's highly emotional states.  It would also be extremely easy for the emotion-spirit to possess a human, and as long as it didn't direct any attention to itself it could operate indefinitely.  _

_            His work done, he sent the emotion-spirit out.  Soon he would have a body, and then the fun would begin!_

Three days passed since Gohan left, and that time was pure hell for Videl.  She returned home the morning after he left, shivering cold and soaking wet.  She told her father, Hercule Satan, everything, from the battles and the time she spent with Vegeta training in the Room of Spirit and Time.  She told him of the final battle with Dalron and his defeat.  She also told him about the bond and tried to explain it to him to the best of her ability.  The whole time she spoke she threatened to burst into tears, but somehow she was able to fight them off.  She tried to bring herself to tell him how much she loved Gohan, but the words got stuck in her throat.  To his credit, Hercule listened to the fantastic story without interrupting her.  He tried to console her, but she shrugged him off.  She ran to her room and locked the door behind her.  For three days she stayed there.  She didn't eat, and she wouldn't speak, not even to her father.  Hercule grew more worried as the days passed, and on the third day he arrived at a decision: he needed the help of her mentor, Vegeta.  He didn't like the idea, but the thought of his daughter wasting away was the worst thing imaginable.  He never liked those otherworlders, and was rightly afraid of their powers.  But he tried everything to get her to come out and nothing worked.  Vegeta he disliked the most; the proud warrior reminded him too much of himself taken to extremes.  But he didn't have any other choice; hopefully Vegeta would be able to help his poor, suffering daughter.  Now, if he could only convince the powerful warrior to help him.  Hercule had no idea how to accomplish that.

Without any real plan, and with much foreboding, Hercule Satan left his home and took a cab to the Capsule Corp. headquarters.  The trip didn't take long; he still had no idea how to convince Vegeta when he paid the fare and walked up to the house.  He knocked twice, feeling a cold anxiousness rise in his stomach.  A moment passed, and the door slid open.  There stood Bulma Briefs, CEO of Capsule Corp. and wife of Vegeta.

"Why hello, Mr. Satan," she said smiling, "What brings you here today?"

"I...uh...er," he stuttered, "I have a problem that...uh...I need to talk to your husband about."

"Vegeta?" she asked incredulously.

Hercule nodded, rubbing his hands together nervously.

"Sure, he's in," she said with a quizzical expression.  "Come on in."

Hercule bowed and walked in, "Thank you."

"No problem," she answered back, "I wanted to thank you for allowing us to stay at your place after the tournament."

"It was nothing," he said absent-mindedly.

"What's wrong," she asked, studying the worry on his face.

"It's..." he started, but he couldn't finish.

"It must be really important if you want to talk to my husband," she reasoned.

He gulped and nodded.

"Then follow me, I'll take you right to him."

"Thank you."

Bulma led Mr. Satan down to one of the lower levels in the building.  Bulma created a gravity room for Vegeta there so he could train at home.  Bulma watched Hercule out of the corner of her eye.  He was a nervous wreck!  _What does he want with Vegeta?_

Bulma stopped at a closed room and flipped a switch on the wall.  The doors slid open, revealing a training room complete with training mats, weightlifting equipment and punching bags.  In the center of the room was Vegeta in his trademark dark blue jumpsuit and tank top.  He stood in a defensive stance.  Across from him was the young boy, Trunks, in an offensive stance.  A golden aura blazed around the young half-saiyan.  The cold expression on both their faces made Hercule's blood run cold.

"Attack," Vegeta commanded.

Trunks did, leaping at his father with a scream.  His fists shot out at the last second, aimed at his father's midsection.  Vegeta sidestepped the attack, but Trunks turned in mid-air and brought his knees up to deflect Vegeta's kick.  Trunks landed on one hand, pivoted with perfect balance, and leapt at his father again, this time with his legs outstretched.  Vegeta ducked under the kick, but Trunks tagged him with his fists as he flew by.  Vegeta wasted no time; he blurred to super speed and appeared in front of Trunks, who was still flying through the air.  Trunks was caught unaware, and a resounding punch to Trunk's stomach ended the sparring session.

"You'll have to be quicker than that," Vegeta growled.

Trunks coughed a few times and nodded.  He was slow in getting up.  "Take a rest," Vegeta commanded, "We'll pick up right where we left off in an hour."

Trunks smiled, he would be looking forward to it!

Bulma cleared her throat, causing both Vegeta and Trunks to look in her direction.  Mr. Satan stared aghast at the two of them.  They were both so strong!  

"What is it?" Vegeta asked.

"Mr. Satan is here; he wants to talk to you."

"About what?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "but he says it's important."

"Very well."

Bulma stepped aside and nodded to Mr. Satan.  He walked in slowly, feeling small in the presence of such might.

"What do you want," Vegeta asked irritably.

Hercule flinched involuntarily.  "I...uh..." he stammered.

"Spit it out!" Vegeta barked, causing Hercule to jump.

That cold expression!  _Don't think about it, just tell him!  _"It's uh...well...you see..."

Vegeta sighed deeply.

"...it's Videl!  GohanleftherandshetoldmeeverythingaboutthebondbutIdon'tunderstanditandthenshelockedherselfinherroomforthepastthreedaysandshewon'tcomeoutsocouldyoupleasetalktoher?"

Vegeta blinked once, then again.  "Try again, slower this time."

Hercule took a breath and told him everything Videl told him.  Vegeta pursed his lips in thought as Hercule finished.

"Will you talk to her, please?" Hercule pleaded, "I don't know what else to do!"

"That stupid baka," Vegeta said darkly.  "What the hell does he think he's doing?"

"Huh?"

            "Gohan!  He's throwing his life away!"  Vegeta clenched his fists in frustration.

            "So you'll do it," Hercule asked, his eyes wide with hope.

            "Why me?" he asked angrily, "You are her father."

            "I tried," he replied honestly, "I really did!  But she won't listen to me!  I didn't have anyone to turn to.  I remembered that you trained her so she might listen to you."

            "What makes you think that," he spat.

            Hercule threw his hands up in the air, "I don't know!  It was the only thing I could think of!  Please, help me!  Help Videl!"

            _The stupid human is practically begging, _Vegeta thought,_ how pathetic!  Still, he is right to worry about Videl.  Damnit!  Why am I getting dragged into the middle of this?  This is not my affair!  _Vegeta closed his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest.  _Shit!  _"Very well," he growled, "I'll talk to her."

            Hercules eyes brightened.  "You will?  Oh, thank you, thank you!"  He got on his hands and knees and gave praise to Vegeta.

            "Stand up," Vegeta said in disgust.  Hercule did.  "Let's get this over with."

            They walked out of Capsule Corp. and Vegeta extended his arm to Mr. Satan.  Hercule looked at him confused.

            "We'll get there quicker if I fly.  Grab on."

            Hercule did and they were off.  The World's Martial Arts Champion didn't stop screaming until after they landed.  Before they entered the house Vegeta raised a hand of caution.

            "Even though you are her father you must not interfere.  This is something that they will need to sort out for themselves, do you understand?"

            "But," he protested, "She's my daughter!  She needs me!"

            Vegeta nodded, "Yes she does.  But she also needs Gohan, just as he needs her."

            "He left her," he said angrily.  "Why should she care about him now?  It's over."

            "We'll see."

            They entered the house and Hercule led Vegeta to Videl's room, then he backed off.  Vegeta's heightened senses easily detected her presence.  He stretched out with his ki.  Suddenly he was awash in pain and despair.  The emotions ran so deep that they threatened to overwhelm him.  He severed the link and forced those emotions away.  He turned to Hercule.  "I will speak to her alone."

            Hercule wanted to protest, but that same cold expression stared back at him, stifling his argument.  He stomped downstairs and waited.

            With that out of the way Vegeta turned back toward the door.  "Videl?" he asked softly.

           Nothing.

            _I'm not going to play these games!_  Suddenly his fist shot out and smashed the broad door into splinters.  Videl jumped and yelped in surprise.  _That got a reaction_, he thought as he walked into the room.  Hercule was behind him in a second.

            "What happened?  What's the meaning of this?" he fumed.

            "The door was stuck," Vegeta said darkly.

            A cold shiver ran up Hercule's spine.  He looked at Videl who looked just as scared as he did.  Then he looked at Vegeta.  His expression hadn't changed.  It took all his willpower to back away.  He had to trust Vegeta, which was no small feat for Hercule, but he relented.

            After Mr. Satan left, Vegeta turned to Videl.  She looked pathetic; her hair was a mess and she still wore the same clothes from the last time he saw her.

            "What...what the hell are you doing here?" she asked angrily.

            "I could ask you the same question," he replied.

            "You have no right barging in like that!  Go away!  I don't want to talk to you."  She turned away from him and buried her head in a large pillow.  "Please," she whimpered, "Just leave me alone."

            Vegeta truly felt sorry for her, but now was not the time for those sentiments.  "I will not.  Not until you do what you need to do," he said keeping his voice even.

            "I don't _need_ to do anything," she spat back, "He _left_ me.  That's it.  It's over."

            "It isn't and you know it.  After everything you went through to get him back, this is how you act?  You've come too far to quit now."

            She turned to Vegeta with tears in her eyes.  "I...I tried," she said shakily.

            Vegeta said nothing, prompting her to continue.

            She sniffed back the tears.  "I begged to go with him.  I pleaded.  I tried to stop him, Vegeta, I swear!  I tried to jog his memory but nothing worked!  Then he left."  She sniffed again, this time with minimal success.

            "Why didn't you follow him?"

            How could she explain it to him?  She tried to go after him but her body felt so heavy.  "I...I don't...know."

            "So that's it then?  You're giving up on him?"

            "That's right!" she shot in rage.  "He's gone and I don't care if he ever comes back!  Fuck him!"  She buried herself in the pillow again and began to sob.

            "That's not the Videl I know," he said softly.  "So what if he doesn't remember you.  You remember him, and what he means to you.  You can't let that go to waste."

            "Fuck you," she cursed through the pillow.

            "Go ahead," he goaded.  "Try and move on; see how far that gets you.  You can deny it all you want on the outside, but you can't lie to yourself.  The bond is stronger than that."

            She turned back to him.  "I can't go through that again, Vegeta," she said in a small voice, her anger gone.  "I just can't."

            "You must," he answered.  "Gohan may have lost his way, but his feelings for you are still there.  He may not understand them, and he may try to deny them, but they _are _there.  He needs you to remember."

            "How?" she pleaded, "How can I do that?"

            "You will have to find out for yourself," he answered.  "But every journey begins with the first step.  You need to make that step."

            He could see how torn she was.  Her love for him was as strong as ever, but self-doubt gnawed at her.  "I...I don't know if I can do this."

            For a split second Vegeta considered helping her to get on her way by throwing her out the window, but decided against it.  "If you don't, you will regret it for the rest of your life.  I would soon as kill you than let you waste away like that."

            Videl knew that he wasn't bluffing.  "Things have changed, Vegeta.  I can feel it, the bond between me and Gohan.  It's weaker and gets weaker by the day."

            "Then you'd better hurry up and find him," he said with urgency.

            "I can't feel him anymore," she said quietly, "It's like he's disappeared."

            "Or he's hiding from you," he replied, "Maybe it is his way from keeping you from feeling the loss, I don't know."

            "I don't know where to look," she said, "I have no idea where he is."

            "It's Gohan," Vegeta said matter-of-factly, "when he uses his powers someone will report it.  Extend your senses like I taught you and you should find him in no time.  But you need to get going."

            He could tell that she was still apprehensive.  "Look," he said, "Go to Kakarot's house and talk to him.  If your journey starts out with a step, I believe his house would be a good start.  He had some...difficulties...that he needs to deal with as well.  Perhaps the two of you can figure something out.  But know this: only you can make things right, don't depend on the others to fight your battles.  You must do this alone."

            She nodded; every word he spoke bore through her like fire.  She had underestimated Vegeta; he knew her better than she did.  But that self-doubt wouldn't leave her alone.  "What if..." she began, "...what if he won't come back to me?"

            He stared at her silently for a long time.  He closed his eyes before answering.  "It's best not to dwell on such things," he answered.  "Only you can bring him back.  No one else has a chance; not even Chi-Chi or Kakarot.  Remember the bond; it is stronger than you think, but can be fragile like a feather."

            She didn't understand that last part and her puzzled expression told him so.  He couldn't help but smile.  _Still I act as her sensei.  _"You will understand when the time comes, and more."

            She shifted on the bed uncomfortably for a long time, still unsure of herself, but every word that Vegeta spoke rang true, strengthening her resolve.  The pain and despair that was so plain on her face began to give way to purpose.  Vegeta saw it too.

            "When are you leaving?" he asked.

            It took her a moment before responding.  "I'll leave in the morning."  Each word she spoke was stronger than the last, giving power to her resolve.  "You're right, Vegeta.  I have to do this!"

            Vegeta nodded, a sense of pride welled up within him for her.  "Good.  But you don't need to thank me; you already knew what you need to do."

            She nodded and allowed herself the tiniest of smiles.  "You're right, I can't let my own self doubts get in the way.  Thank you, Vegeta, for everything."

            He nodded.  "Good luck," he said, and he left her room.  Videl watched him leave, feeling a bit better than she had in days.  A sudden rush of excitement and anticipation overcame her, and she began packing.

            Vegeta spoke a few words to Hercule, allaying his fears about Videl, and then he left.  Hercule ran upstairs to see his daughter packing clothes in a backpack.

            "Videl!" he bellowed happily.

            "Dad," she said smiling.  

He threw his arms wide and she ran up to him and they hugged.  He saw the light in her eyes and knew that she was going after Gohan.  He thought about telling her not to go, but Vegeta's words of non-interference blazed in his brain.  He knew Vegeta was right.  Videl was her own person, and his role was to support her in whatever decision she made for her own future.  After their long hug he helped her pack and had his cooks make her favorite meals for dinner.  He did what he could to make her ready for her trip.  After dinner she kissed him goodnight and she went to sleep.  Hercule stayed up for a while, watching his daughter sleep.  He didn't even mind that the door to her room was no more.  Vegeta had done his part in helping him get his daughter back, even though she would be gone in the morning.  _You know,_ he thought to himself, _that Vegeta guy isn't so bad after all.  Wait a minute!  Did I just think that?_  He shook his head to clear his thoughts.  He was tired, he reasoned.  That could be the only possible explanation for his strange thoughts.  He went to bed.  

When he woke up the next morning Videl was already gone, beginning her search for her love, Gohan.  He wished her all the luck in the world.

**A/N: **Here's the start of the promised sequel to Last Hope for Earth.  More twists are in store for our hero and heroine.  I hope you like it!  Enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

            _"...once the bonding process has started it grows over time. The two spirits are almost in constant contact with each other, but you don't even know it. It's a failsafe mechanism that allows one to know when the other is in danger. But that's just scratching the surface."_

Vegeta explaining the Saiyan Bond to Videl in the Room of Spirit and Time

_The emotion-spirit streaked down from the heavens and landed on Earth; it's arrival marked by barely a whisper.  After a moments orientation it began its mission.  The power that gave the emotion-spirit life also gave it a few extra abilities to help achieve its goals.  It had the ability of sensing the emotions of things around it, it also had the ability to heighten the emotions of whomever or whatever it decided to target, it could also suppress those emotions, and it had the ability to possess bodies.  The only limit on the last ability was the willpower of the target.  If the targets willpower was strong enough then the emotion-spirit couldn't posses him or her.  The body its master wanted had an ungodly high willpower so the emotion-spirit had to think of another way.  It had a rudimentary intelligence and was able to think for itself.  In order for its master's plan to work the emotion-spirit needed to destroy the target's soul.  It could do it easily enough but first it needed to destroy the target's willpower so it could possess him and destroy him from within.  In order to do that the emotion-spirit needed to be tricky; it had to find a way to lower the target willpower, and that would take some time.  But how would it accomplish that?  As soon as the question was asked the answer was there: possess another body and use that body against the target.  It would have to be a body that was physically appealing.  Then, once the target trusts that person the emotion-spirit could begin draining away the target's willpower._

_            Armed with a plan, the emotion-spirit began looking for a suitable vessel.  It didn't take long for it to find one..._

            Lia Dayspring rested on top of a hillside that was blanketed in clover, overlooking a small river.  Behind her was her home, the small village of Dahl.  The village was poor and didn't have anything more technologically advanced than the wooden cart, the wheel, and the fishing and farming instruments that the village needed to stay alive.  Life was hard, but the people were happy going about their business without a care in the world.  

            Lia celebrated her 17th birthday the day before, and even though it rained all day the celebration lasted well into the night.  Now the sun was out, drying away the wetness from yesterday's storm.  The day was warm and she went to her favorite spot: the hilltop overlooking the river.  She wore the new clothes she got for her birthday.  Her shirt was low-cut in a V pattern, and the red and yellow hues contrasted starkly with the lush greenery around her.  Her pants were practical like a farmer's, but made of nicer material.  A slight, warm breeze glided over her, sending wisps of her long, dark red hair trailing after the wind.  Her sapphire-blue eyes were closed and her chest raised and lowered in rhythm with her breathing.  She shifted to her side, uttering a small moan of contentment.  The clover bed was so warm and soft.  

            It was a lazy day for the village.  The rains swelled the river and the fishnets had caught enough fish to feed the village for a week or more.  Everyone was relaxing and enjoying the sun's warmth.  It was a great day.

            That's when it happened.

            _The emotion-spirit spied the girl sleeping on the hilltop.  She was the perfect vessel for its master's plans.  The emotion-spirit read the girl's emotions and found them to be a match for the target.  The innocence of the girl and her location in the isolated village made her a good choice.  The girl's willpower wasn't particularly strong or weak, and the emotion-spirit concluded that controlling her wouldn't be much of a problem.  The spirit considered taking the easy route and destroying the girl's soul, but then her memories would be lost as well as her mannerisms, and since the village knew the girl the spirit would need those memories and mannerisms to maintain its façade until the true target arrived.  As the sleeping girl turn over to her side the emotion-spirit struck.  If anyone was around her they would have seen an almost imperceptible outline of a humanoid figure appear next to her.  The outline moved over her and was absorbed into her body.  The only perceptible evidence of anything happening was Lia's eyes twitching once.  Phase one was complete.  Now all the emotion-spirit had to do was to wait for the target to appear._

            Videl arrived at the Son household, but everything was quiet.  She knocked softly on the door and a moment later Goten answered.  His bright smile at seeing her didn't hide the sadness in his eyes at Gohan's departure.  

            "Hi, Videl," he exclaimed with forced cheerfulness.

            She smiled back at him, but it was a sad smile.  "Hello.  Are your parents in?"

            The smile faded from the young half-saiyan.  He lowered his head and stared at the ground.  "They're outside, behind the house," he said in a meek voice.  "Mom's still sad.  She's been sad ever since..."  His lower lip started to tremble.

            She ran her hand through his thick hair in an effort to comfort him.  "I know.  That's what I want to talk to them about.  Is it okay if I see them?"

            Goten sniffed, wiped his nose, then nodded, "Uh huh."

            "Thank you," she said sweetly.

            Suddenly she was gripped by Goten in a hug.  He only reached her stomach and he buried his face there, crying openly.  She put her arms around him and hugged back.  She wanted to say something to him to make him feel better, but nothing came to mind.  Her own emotions were threatening to burst forth but she forced them down.  They hugged each other for a long time, before Goten finally let go.

            "I...I guess I'd better get to my chores," he sniffed.

            Videl just nodded, forcing back her own tears of loss and sadness.  It was getting harder for her to suppress the swell of emotion she was feeling.  Goten closed the door and she could hear him sniffling as he left.  She took a moment to compose herself and get her emotions under control.  _I have to be strong_, she thought to herself, but she didn't feel it.

            She walked around the house and saw Goku holding Chi-Chi in his arms.  She had been crying for what looked like a long time.  Her face was buried in her husband's chest and he gently stroked her hair in his hands, slowing rocking her back and forth.  Goku saw Videl but he didn't say anything.  He motioned to her to come over by jerking his head.  Videl stood there for a second, unsure what to do.  Her self-control was quickly breaking down, and she could feel the tears forming in her eyes.  Goku motioned for her again and she slowly walked over.  Chi-Chi was still crying in Goku's chest but he let one arm go and when Videl walked up to them he put it around her and drew her to them in the embrace.  In that moment, Videl's self-control was lost and she cried along with Chi-Chi; both women sharing the burden and pain of loss.  Goku held them for a long time, giving them some semblance of release from their sorrows.  Finally Chi-Chi pushed herself off of her husband, and Videl did the same a moment later.  Both women took a moment to get composed.  Chi-Chi spoke first.

            "I'm glad you came," she said, "We were both really worried about you!  I tried to warn you about Gohan, but you left too soon."

            "I know," Videl said gently, "I was just so excited that he woke up.  I'm sorry for not staying and listening to you."

            Chi-Chi shook her head, "Don't worry about it.  I'm just glad that you're okay.  We thought the worst when we didn't hear from you.  Please, don't scare us like that again!  Goku and I think of you as family and we don't want to see you get hurt."

            Videl lowered her head.  It was a bit surprising to her to hear Chi-Chi say that, and now guilt was added to her jumble of emotions.  "I'm sorry, I...I didn't know...what to do.  I felt so..."

            "Lost?" Chi-Chi offered knowingly.

            Videl nodded, looking down at the ground.

            "That's how I feel every time Goku leaves," she said.  "I try my best to make him stay but everything I do doesn't work."

            Goku thought about saying something in his defense but that would start an argument that never ended between them, so he kept quiet.  Chi-Chi continued, "I just want the two of us to live a normal life together, is that so wrong?"

            "No it isn't," Goku answered.  "But I have to go when people need me."

            "I know," Chi-Chi said, "but I don't have to like it."

            "Let's not talk about that now," Goku said, he turned to look at Videl.  His eyes bored deep into her, making her feel small in his presence.  "Let's talk about you."

            "M...me?" she asked.

            Goku nodded, "Yeah.  Vegeta called me saying you were on your way over here.  He said that you and I should have a talk."

            Videl gulped, "He told me to come here and talk to you; it was his idea."

            "It's good that you still listen to your sensei," he said.  "I know what you want to do, and I think I may have some advice."

            Chi-Chi excused herself, "I'll be back at the house."  She put her arms around Videl and hugged her close.  "Remember, we'll always be here for you," she said.

            "Thank you," Videl replied earnestly, returning the hug.  The love of the Son family went a long way, and for that Videl was eternally grateful.  

Chi-Chi smiled a sad smile and walked back to the house.  When she walked inside Goku motioned to Videl to sit at the picnic table.  She did as instructed and then Goku began to talk.

"I understand that you want to go find Gohan," it was a statement not a question.

She nodded.

Goku's eyes changed in expression, like when he's sizing up an opponent right before a battle.  "Vegeta thinks that's what you should do.  But is that what you _really_ want?"

Videl was confused at the question.  _What does he mean?  Of course that's what I want!  _"Uh..." she stammered, "What do you mean?"

A slight pause.  She could feel his intense stare pierce through her, making her feel very self-conscious and she couldn't meet his gaze.  "I mean: do you really want to find him?  Is he the right person for you, or do you think you can move on with your life without him?"

Anger welled up within her and she now met his gaze with a glare that bordered on furious.  "How can you say that?  Gohan and I are bonded!  I'd do anything for him, or haven't I proven that enough already?"

Goku's glare softened, and he smiled.  "So you know about the bond, huh?  I had to be sure."

"Yes, Vegeta told me about it when he trained me in the Room of Spirit and Time.  He even let me experience his bond with Bulma for a few seconds to make me believe."

"Whew!  I can't imagine what that felt like," he exclaimed with a grin.  "What else did he tell you?"

Videl was still a bit angry at Goku at his deception but she told him.  Goku listened intently, nodding at all the major points.  When she finished he nodded approvingly.  "Not bad.  But there's more."

"Vegeta said the same thing.  He said I'd learn more over time."

"And you will.  If you don't mind me asking, how strong is the bond between you and Gohan?"

She was silent for a time and Goku noticed that she was trying to gather the strength and will to tell him.  "It's getting weaker," she said softly.  "I can feel it slipping away; I can't even feel Gohan's ki anymore."

Goku nodded as if he understood what she was going through.  For a moment, she thought he suddenly looked much older than he was and a lot wiser in his eyes.  Then a thought struck her like a lightning bolt: _maybe he has gone through the same thing!_  

"You..." she stammered, "You went through this before, haven't you?"

Goku confirmed her suspicions with a sad smile and a nod of his head.  "Every time I died," he said somberly, "Vegeta went through it too when he died."

The realization hit her with a shock.  _It's so obvious_, she thought,_ how could I have missed that?_

"We know what you're going through, and we want you to succeed.  That's why I didn't go off and find Gohan myself; you need to do it."

She stared at him dumbfounded for a moment.

"See," he said, smiling, "It _can _be done."

"I...I never knew," she said incredulously.

"Our problems were a bit different than yours, but the basics were still the same.  Chi-Chi and Bulma have already gone through what you are experiencing now, but they won't be able to give you much help; Like Vegeta said, you'll have to do this yourself."

"Then why are you telling me all this?"

"The only advice I can give you is this: hold on to your feelings.  You'll have to be stronger than you ever were before; if you don't..."  He didn't need to finish his sentence, his expression said enough.

Suddenly that cold feeling in the pit of Videl's stomach resurfaced.  Her own self-doubts were coming back.  _What if I can't do this?  What if he never gets his memory back?_

"That's a chance you'll have to take," he said, reading her thoughts, "But I think you can do it," he finished with a smile.

            She considered his words for a moment.  _Vegeta said the same thing, more or less.  But I don't know if I can do it!  _"That doesn't help much," she conceded, "How can I make him remember once I find him?"

            Goku's smile turned to a frown as he concentrated, then he shrugged his shoulders.  "I don't know," he said apologetically, "That's something you'll have to figure out for yourself."

            "Thanks," she said sarcastically.

            "I know something that you _can_ do, though," he offered.

             Her eyes brightened momentarily.  "What?"

            "Close your eyes," he commanded, "and clear your mind."

            She gave him a wary look, not knowing what he was up to, but she did as he asked.  "Is your mind empty?" he asked.

            She nodded after a time.

            "Good.  Next, concentrate on a particular memory that is between you and Gohan.  Try to picture everything that happened in that memory."

            The memory that popped in her head was the one where Gohan and she were training on the deserted island before Gohan left with the others to go to New Namek.  Gohan materialized in her mind's eye clearly.  She rested her head on his chest, spent after a hard day of training.  His powerful hands were gently stroking her short hair, and then he lightly kissed her head and wrapped his arms around her.

_"It's a beautiful night out," he said._

_"Mmmm," she replied dreamily. "I don't want it to end."_

_Gohan smiled and closed his eyes. Slowly he raised his ki enough that the air swirled around them. Videl raised her head and looked at him questioningly. "Gohan, what are you…"_

_"Hush," he replied gently and concentrated. His ki feels different, she thought. His aura blazed blue and enveloped the two of them._

_"Now…concentrate," Gohan said quietly._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Just…concentrate."_

_She relaxed and rested her head back down on his chest. She closed her eyes and concentrated, raising her ki to the same level as his. Her aura blazed green as they melded together. The rising ki energies caused Gohan to slowly rise and float above the ground. Videl was totally unprepared for what hit her! She trusted him and that belief caused their ki to merge. Gohan opened his eyes slowly and smiled at her. He gently brought her face up to his. _

_"Now, kiss me," he said quietly. She did, passionately._

_She was assaulted by waves of ki that touched every nerve in her body. It felt like a constant ki blast, but instead of pain there was nothing but pleasure. After several seconds she released him from her kiss. They gently hovered back down to the ground._

_"What…what was that?" she asked breathlessly._

_"Oh, just a little something I've been working on," he said nonchalantly._

The memory faded from her mind, but the _feeling_ didn't, it lingered for quite some time.  Her eyes were still closed, and her breathing became heavier, relishing in the feeling...in _him_.

"You feel him, don't you?"

Her eyes were still closed, lost in the feeling, but she nodded.

"Now, _where_ do you feel him?"

She was confused at his question, but she stretched out with her ki, using the feeling of Gohan from her memory as a reference.  Surprisingly, it came easy to her.  Her right arm jutted out of its own volition and pointed north.  Her eyes opened and stared at her outstretched hand in surprise.

"How did I do that?" she asked in wonder.

"It's a little trick I learned when I had to find my way," Goku replied.  "The bond between you two hasn't weakened that much yet, and now you know which direction he went.  It's a start.  But the longer you two are apart, the weaker the bond will get, so I suggest you'd better get on your way."

She lowered her arm, still astonished at the simplicity of the technique.  Goku gave her a hug, "Good luck," he said with a smile, "You're welcome back anytime, and if you have more questions don't hesitate to come by and ask."

She returned the hug, "Thanks," she said.  "You've been a great help, Goku.  Thanks...for everything."

His smile broadened and he released her from the hug.  He nudged his head in a northerly direction, "Get going, he's waiting for you."

She nodded, returning a small smile of her own.  She powered up enough to get her silver aura to blaze around her and she took to the air.  She waved goodbye to Goku as she headed north.  _"All journey's begin with a first step," Vegeta said_.  _This was a good start!_

Next:  Find out what Gohan's been up to, told from his point of view!  See you next time!


End file.
